Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Franklin, IL

What it is, How it works

Hair testing has gained recognition as a robust method for identifying drug and alcohol consumption. The hair captures a prolonged record of alcohol and other drug use by embedding biomarkers within the strands. When taken near the scalp, hair can present nearly a 3-month detection timeframe for alcohol and drugs. Hair collection is straightforward, not easily altered, and convenient to transport.

A 1.5-inch sample approximating 200 hair strands (comparable to the size of a #2 pencil) closest to the scalp yields 100mg, the optimal amount for testing and validation. For EtG, additional factors, and/or tests exceeding 10 panels, a specimen of 150mg is advisable. Utilizing a jeweler’s scale for weighing the sample is advised. If scalp hair is unobtainable, a similar quantity of body hair can be collected. When discussing head hair, it pertains solely to scalp hair. Body hair encompasses all other hair types (e.g., facial, axillary).

Process Overview

The laboratory process for drug test results involves four primary steps: Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

Accessioning entails the initial integration of a sample into a laboratory’s framework, ensuring the sample was securely sealed and transported, assigning a distinct LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and fulfilling any supplemental data entry absent from an electronic chain of custody system.

Screening consists of a preliminary rapid check for substance abuse. Although Screening effectively eliminates drug usage for most samples cost-efficiently, a positive result must be confirmed for court validity. Any presumptively positive samples in Screening require a follow-up confirmation.

Should a sample appear presumptively positive during Screening, additional hair is extracted from the initial sample and processed for Extraction. This phase extracts drugs from hair at significantly lower concentrations than other methods (e.g., urine or oral fluid), rendering hair drug screening the most challenging methodology.

Confirmation of any positive Screening outcome is executed using GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS techniques. All presumptive positive samples undergo necessary washing before confirmation. The complete laboratory process from Accessioning to Confirmation is subject to review under the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair designation and accredited to ISO / IEC 17025 standards.

Advantages of hair drug testing:

• Extended detection period: Hair drug tests can trace drug consumption for as long as 90 days, as opposed to urine tests which offer a limited detection window.
• Challenging to manipulate: It is exceedingly arduous to deceive a hair drug test, resulting in more reliable outcomes.
• Depicts historical usage: It can illustrate a pattern of drug use over time, beyond mere recent intake.

Limitations:

• Unable to identify recent intake: Detectability of drugs in hair takes roughly 5-7 days.
• Expense: Hair drug tests typically incur greater costs compared to alternative testing methods.
• Result variability: Elements like hair color and individual hair growth differences can impact drug metabolite concentration in hair.

Note: Although often labeled as "hair follicle tests", the assessment targets the hair strand rather than the follicle beneath the scalp.

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

Hair follicle testing emerges as a superior alternative to traditional urine tests in Franklin, IL. Advantages include unrivaled accuracy in results and extensive detection capabilities. The longer detection window ensures employers benefit from a detailed insight into drug use behaviors leading to enhanced reliability in assessments.

Extended Detection Window

Hair follicle testing extends the detection timeframe up to 90 days in Franklin, IL, giving a broader view of substance use. Employers can make more informed decisions regarding the drug usage history of potential or current employees, thus ensuring a safer workplace environment.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

Franklin, IL sees reduced tampering risks with hair follicle tests. Unlike other methods, these tests are tamper-resistant, significantly minimizing the chance of adulterated samples, and ensuring the results are trustworthy and beyond dispute.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

The convenience of testing at numerous locations stands out in Franklin, IL. Nationwide centers ensure quick and easy access to our services. The convenience of local and widespread options makes drug testing accessible and hassle-free for all participants.

Simple, Confidential Process

Our process in Franklin, IL, is designed to be straightforward and private. Steps involving ordering, taking, and getting results of a hair follicle test are made simple and confidential, addressing any privacy concerns, and offering ease of use and transparency to all users.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

Offering competitive pricing and swift processing, our services in Franklin, IL reflect affordability. Companies benefit from cost-effective plans paired with fast results, providing an excellent return on investment and ensuring organization satisfaction and confidence.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

Residents and employers in Franklin, IL, now have access to hair follicle drug tests that combine speed and precision. These tests stand out due to their remarkable accuracy in identifying substance usage. As a result, they provide reliable insights into an individual’s history within a short timeframe post-collection.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

Employers seeking compliance with drug-free workplace policies in Franklin, IL, find reassurance with hair follicle testing. This method enhances workplace safety, ensures compliance, and reduces potential legal challenges, bringing peace of mind to the organizations utilizing it.

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What's New In Hair Follicle Drug Testing according to the Hair Drug Testing Experts

With its multidisciplinary nature, hair testing brings together researchers, scientists, and experts from various domains to develop innovative techniques, explore new methodologies, and address emerging concerns, responding to the ever-evolving challenges of drug abuse, therapeutic drug monitoring, and environmental exposures to pollutants.

The joint meeting of the Society of Hair Testing (SoHT) and the Italian Group of Forensic Toxicologists (GTFI) was organized in Verona, June 8–10, 2022, and hosted by the Legal Medicine team of the Verona University Hospital, directed by Franco Tagliaro together with Federica Bortolotti and Rossella Gottardo.

It served as a prominent platform for knowledge exchange and collaboration, facilitating groundbreaking advancements in hair testing and analysis. In this special issue of Drug Testing and Analysis, we aim to showcase the remarkable manuscripts presented at this significant event, shedding light on the latest research and highlighting the future directions in this field.

Novel Analytical Techniques: The Verona meeting witnessed the unveiling of cutting-edge analytical techniques, offering enhanced sensitivity, selectivity, and accuracy for drug testing. Remarkable advancements in sample preparation, detection, and identification of drug compounds have been presented. The manuscripts in this section presented novel approaches, such as multianalyte methods and on-line preparation which can enable rapid analysis and improve thorough forensic investigations.

Biomarkers and Pharmacokinetics: The identification and validation of reliable biomarkers and pharmacokinetic studies are fundamental aspects of drug testing and analysis. The impact of hair treatments on the oxidation/decomposition of drugs in hair was also explored, as the long-term fate of drugs incorporated in the keratin matrix. Furthermore, the SoHT meeting in Verona featured research on the identification and quantification of alcohol abuse biomarkers, their stability, and their correlation with exposure and other biomarkers.

Forensic Applications and Interpretation: One of the vital objectives of hair testing is its application in forensic investigations and legal proceedings. The SoHT meeting in Verona emphasized the significance of rigorous interpretation of analytical results and the need for standardized protocols. Manuscripts in this section present advancements in forensic toxicology, and have explored the challenges posed by emerging designer drugs and strategies to combat their proliferation. The pitfalls encountered when the exogenous/endogenous nature of a substance is questioned were presented and discussed. The special issue presents also manuscripts that delve into the ethical implications of drug testing in drug facilitated sexual assaults.

Clinical Applications of hair testing are witnessed by the insight on environmental tobacco smoke exposure, assessed by hair analysis in a population of students and the study of in utero-exposure to drugs of abuse through neonatal hair analysis. Exposure to drugs was also important in cases of child abuse/neglect, when the clinical purpose of hair testing merge with its forensic applications.

The legal framework surrounding hair testing and the achievement of guidelines to ensure fairness, accuracy, and confidentiality in drug testing practices have also been discussed,and the SoHT consensus on general hair testing and testing for drugs of abuse was presented at the meeting and published as a Letter to the Editor.

In conclusion, the special issue of Drug Testing and Analysis, featuring manuscripts from the SoHT–GTFI meeting in Verona 2022, reflects the remarkable advancements achieved in this field. The manuscripts provide valuable insights into novel analytical techniques, biomarkers, pharmacokinetics, forensic applications, and ethical considerations. As we embrace these advancements, we pave the way for a safer, healthier society, where drug testing and analysis serve as powerful tools in protecting public health and maintaining integrity in various sectors. The research presented in this special issue will undoubtedly shape the future of drug testing and analysis, fostering collaboration and inspiring further innovation in this crucial area of scientific inquiry.

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